Mobile Phone Tricks – How To Save On Mobile Phone Costs

The mobile phone is a must for every person in the modern world and no one can live a day without using their mobile phones for calling up or messaging their known people on different pretexts. There are plenty of telephonic service providers operating in every locality, from whom the common mobile phone users buy […]

4 Tips For Making Money Off Your Blog From Day One

Starting a blog is something almost all of us have the capabilities to do, however, making money off it is an entirely different ball game. While most of us think revenue will come with time, ensuring profit from day one will give you a much better advantage moving forward with your business. And if you’ve […]

The Biggest Mistakes Small Business Owners Make

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Hints and Tips for Paying Off Your Student Loan

Debt is a reality for most students today. However, it doesn’t have to remain your reality for years to come, as there are lots of ways to get to the point of being debt free that little bit faster. Budget for the repayments If your student loan payments aren’t being taken directly from your salary […]

5 Ways to Save Money for Your Next Vacation

Are you looking forward to your next vacation? Have you come to realize that you need to save more money before you can book your trip? Are you ready to save, but a bit unsure of how to do so? It goes without saying that saving money for your next vacation can be a challenge. […]

The world has gone through a lot in the past decade. World economies have come to the brink and nearly toppled over the cliff, dragging the rest of the human race with them. It has taken us a long time, but we can finally see some signs of improvement. However, attempting to predict what the global economy will look like in 2015 is very much like trying to guess how the weather will look like a week from now. While you could use all tools and raw date available to man to attempt to predict weather patterns, the truth of the matter is that predicting the future is not an exact science. You are bound to miss the mark more times than not. The same applies to attempting to figure out how the economic landscape for the whole world will look like in the next financial year.

Major trouble spots that could ruin economic prospects

While it may seem that the global economy will perform better in 2015 than in 2014, there are a couple of trouble spots that could hinder this progress. We have come a long way from the deep hole that we dug ourselves into in 2008. Countries have tittered on the edge of bankruptcy for years now, but finally there are signs of hope for recovery. However, there are negative indicators of growth rearing their ugly heads from different corners of the world:

The Ebola Virus

The deadly viral hemorrhagic fever has decimated thousands of people in western Africa, while managing to spread fear across the continent and indeed throughout the whole world. The virus has dampened business activities in many western African countries, sending ripple waves to traditional trading nations and ruining economic development and growth for many nations. This will end up having a negative impact on global economic prospects.

The threat of ISIS in the Middle East

A new terrorist group styling itself as ISIS has managed to cripple most of the Middle East, by focusing the attention of most of the leaders on how to relate with the nefarious organization that has managed to control large swathes of land and populations. Iraq and Syria are in constant turmoil. It cannot be said with any certainty when these countries are going to get back on their feet economically. All this will have a bad impact on world economic growth.

Russia, Crimea and the Ukrainian crisis

The forceful annexation of the Crimea by Russia has opened another battleground and has potentially kick started the second cold war. This will also have negative effects on total economic growth and development come 2015.

However, even in the light of all these depressing signals, business has been booming in many countries, like the United States for instance. The number of people taking business loans in pursuit of their entrepreneurial dreams has significantly increased in recent years. Technological advancements are spurring innovation and making it easier than ever before to conduct business and to reach millions of customers without ever having to leave the safety and comfort of your own home or business office.

In the light of all these optimistic signals, it is very likely that the global economy will get a much needed boost in 2015.

It’s that time of the year again and often two months prior to the great festivities, many people are known to mercilessly go breaking their budget. Sure we’ve got to make it look and feel like Christmas especially for our kids and that is in every sense of the word, but do we ever stop to think about January.

The main reason why Christmas brings oomph and a sense of longing is the gifts’ part. You know your kids will wake up at dawn and scale down the stairs headed straight to the Christmas tree to check out their gifts. While you intend to make a lasting impression to last throughout the coming year, you certainly cannot afford to disappoint them.

Again While CHRISTMAS has long been associated with celebrations and lots of fun, no one would surely wish to usher the new-year on an empty wallet while trending on a pile of debts. It is of paramount need to shop wisely and especially while buying Christmas gifts.

Gift ideas this Christmas

If you are looking to buy affordable, compelling gifts this Christmas, consider the idea of purchasing directly from the manufacturer and saving greatly on your finances. Talk of affordable shopping!

Here’s a variety of gifts to consider for your family and loved ones:-

Personalized leather diary

Customized bike

Some good wine

Designer shirt

Polar bear

Racquet kit

Perfumes

Personalized coffee mug

Jewelry

Customized robot

Personalized chain

A rocking pony

Marble run

Despite the irrelevance of the heights you wish to scale shopping this Christmas, you are undoubtedly going to need a Christmas budget. Also be sure to take advantage of trending holiday discounts available on a variety of sites, gift shops and shopping dens.

Felix Navidad!..Ho! Ho! Santa is here, but so is a Grueling New Year

While Christmas is indeed magical, we tend to forget that the New-year is rather inevitable and does spell grueling expenses too. Oh, how we’d all wish Christmas would never end but sadly it does, so ask yourself where your finances will be after this Christmas.

Will you still be able to cater for your kid’s tuition fee and other general expenses? Are you still oblivious of your ongoing house or car mortgage?

Here are a few pointers to ensure you don’t succumb to bad debts come New Year 2015:-

Make a budget– Impulse buying is never a saint and will wreck havoc on your finances.

Make your own gifts– With inexhaustible ideas of gifts to make this Christmas, overrun your budget and personalize your gifts this season.

Discounts and Coupons– Sure these are to be in plenty, make sure to take advantage of them abundantly.

Pre-plan for New Year– Allocate in advance for New Year’s expenses, budget for both Christmas and New Year!

Use cash back credit cards– Cards like American Express gives you back money for using their service and helps immensely keep you off bad debts come New Year.

Stay true to you- So you don’t have the exact finances to spend at a luxury, do what you can and refuse to ravage your wallet for anything. Consider especially shopping at reduced prices shops and avoid uncalled for shopping.

However, while material gifts are often the first option for everyone looking to offer a gift this Christmas season, remember those positive emotions, affirmation, peace, sharing and especially a lot of love beats any other gift this season.

Let those hugs and kisses go limitless, let your loved ones feel they are indispensible and valued and most importantly make your home a hub for laughter and joy, NOW THAT’S CHRISTMAS!

If you are preparing to start a new business, you understandably may be taking a closer look at your financial situation. It can cost a small fortune to start up even a basic business out of your house. After all, you need to invest in office furnishings and equipment, inventory, business licenses, a website presence, marketing and much more. Applying for a start-up loan is practically a necessity for most would-be entrepreneurs, and you can most easily apply for the financing you need by following a few important steps.

1. Create a Business Plan

Regardless of where you choose to apply for your loan, all lenders will want to see your business plan. Essentially, they are looking for a well thought out plan that has a reasonable chance for success. Keep in mind that lenders want to reduce their risk as much as possible by making smart decisions about which entrepreneurs they lend to. As a new company, you don’t have financial records to prove your worth to lenders, so your business plan will be heavily reviewed. You should invest a great deal of time and effort to create a thoughtful, well-researched plan.

2. Shop for the Right Loan

There are different types of business loans that you can apply for. Some may be more suitable for certain types of companies than others. You can choose to apply for a personal unsecured loan with a bank you have been dealing with for a period of time. However because this is a new venture, other banks would ask you to put in a collateral. So it is important for you to carefully review all of your options. Consider if you need funds for inventory, equipment or other items. In some cases, you may be able to obtain an affordable loan on fixed assets, such as vehicles. Once your application is approved, you can certainly use the funds as your working capital.

3. When You Apply

Applying for a business loan can understandably be stressful and nerve racking, so you want to take steps to decrease the stress level as much as possible. Obtain a list of all of the documents required from the lender. Spend a few hours gathering together all the documentation needed, and provide it together at one time. You may also want to talk to your bank and ask for guidelines on how the loan application process works. What is crucial is for you to secure all the documentation needed. This may be time-consuming, but it is the most important step you have to make. Fret not, because this too, will get your business off the ground.

Applying for a start-up business loan may be the ideal next step to take to promote your company’s success. You can follow these simple steps today to more easily apply for and obtain the funds your new company needs to move forward with success.

Incredibly there are now more than 4 million people in the UK who qualify to pay the higher rate of tax (at a not-to-be-scoffed-at 40%). But what many of those higher rate taxpayers do not realise is that they could possibly avoid being caught by the higher rate altogether if they put more of their earnings into their pensions contributions pot.

With higher rate taxpayers now matching the peak levels of pre-recession and the threshold getting ever lower, more and more people are now being sucked into the higher rate earnings category. Similarly, existing higher rate taxpayers are now also going to end up paying that 40% rate on a lot more of their earnings. But with a slight tweak to how they manage their finances and their pensions they could make things a lot easier (and a lot less costly) for themselves. Even the smallest change to your pension contributions can mean the difference between hitting that 40% rate or completely avoiding paying tax at that level.

A Tax Break That No One Paying Higher Rates Should Miss Out On

The tax relief for pensions is so attractive, and so easy to put into place that all higher rate earners should do it as soon as they possibly can. As Laith Khalaf, a pensions analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown described it to the Financial Times,

“Higher-rate relief is a very attractive upfront tax break for wealthier pension savers – especially as they may pay only up to 20 per cent on their pension in retirement.”

Why is it so good? Because for any higher rate taxpayer every £1000 that they contribute towards their pension pot will mean £250 reduced from their tax bill and an equivalent amount of basic rate tax relief. This extra higher rate relief has to be reclaimed later through a tax return whilst the basic rate relief will be automatically added to the value of the plan, thereby boosting a contribution of £1000 to a contribution of £1250.

How would this work in practice? The best way is to take the example of a taxpayer who is earning £65,000 and who has £1000 of interest on taxable savings and who could be paying as much as £16,330 in tax for the year. That higher rate tax payer could mitigate some of that tax burden by paying as much as £14,800 into their personal pension pot and contributing also to an occupational pension and to charitable causes – thereby bringing their higher rate tax down by £4,500 and adding a total of £28,250 to their pension fund. This would mean that their tax relief and savings would be a total of £8,850, which would have otherwise have been payable at 40%.

What About If I Can’t Spare the Cash?

Sure you’re a high earner, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve got a lot of cash to throw into your pension, right? However, there is another way you can take advantage of these allowances – by switching out non-pension related investments into a new Sipp (Self-Invested Personal Pension).

When Do I Need to Do This?

In order to reduce the taxation burden for the current year a taxpayer must make contributions by the 5th of April. The cash does not however need to be invested until a later date.

How Much Can I Put in My Pension Pot Then?

As of the 2013/2014 tax year, taxpayers were permitted to put as much as £50,000 into their pension pot, tax free. For 2014/2015 however the Pension Contribution Allowance will be reduced to £40,000 per year and it is thus important for those paying their taxes for 2013/2014 to make as much as possible of that year’s pension contribution allowance. It is also worth bearing in mind that any Pension Contribution Allowances for previous years that have not been used can also be carried forward into the current year, though that is restricted to the previous three years. It is nevertheless an excellent opportunity and means that someone in the higher tax bracket could potentially contribute up to £200,000 in one year. This is done by first using up the full allowance of the current year, before then claiming on the allowances of previous years.

Finally, it is worth briefly noting that if you did not for any reason pay the full national insurance towards your state pension in previous years you can also top that up – this time restricted to the previous 6 years.

How Do I Work Out How Much To Add To My Pension To Wipe Out Higher Rate Tax?

If someone thinks they could benefit from doing this they need to calculate how much income they have that sits above the 40% threshold and then times that figure by 0.8. Additionally they should bring down that higher rate figure by accounting for any other tax relief (from occupational pensions for example) first. Thus, someone earning £10,000 over the 40% tax threshold could then get 40% tax relief for up to £8000 of their contributions (once the other reliefs have been taken into account.) And if they contribute more they will get basic rate relief on any excess.

If you have a family, you may well be considering life insurance to provide for your family after your death. But this is a complicated area, so before you start getting life insurance quotes what do you need to know about how it all works?

Life Cover Basics
Life insurance pays out a lump sum or a regular income to your partner or family after you die. There are two basic types of cover; the first is “whole life” insurance, which will pay out on your death whenever that occurs. The second is “term” insurance which will pay out of you die within the fixed period of the policy. The latter is most commonly used to ensure that your family would be able to pay off a debt – such as a mortgage – in the event of your death.

With term insurance, you can opt for level cover, which pays out the same amount whenever you die, or decreasing cover, which pays less as your mortgage reduces. This means your premiums will go own over the course of the policy too.

Cover and Cost
When taking out a policy you need to decide how much cover you need. Most experts reckon that a sum of around ten times your annual salary is about right.

How much the cover will cost depends on a number of factors. Partly it will be down to the type and duration of the policy as discussed above. Your age and health are a factor too, the older you are when you take out cover the more expensive it will usually be. Similarly, if you smoke, drink or are overweight, you will pay more for your life insurance.

It is a good idea to review your insurance needs occasionally. The best time to do this is when you experience a major event such as getting married, having a child or moving to a larger property.

Policy Exclusions

It is important to be aware that insurance companies may sometimes refuse cover if a person is deemed too big a risk. Reasons for these exclusions may include having a high-risk job, such as members of the armed forces or some construction workers; indulging in dangerous hobbies, like parachuting or motor sport; a history of serious health issues, such as heart issues or diabetes; or lifestyle issues such as heavy drinking or smoking.

There may also be circumstances when, even if you have cover, an insurer will refuse to pay out. These would include death due to suicide or to drug and alcohol abuse. However, the percentage of claims turned down by insurers is very low.

There is a lot to consider when taking out life insurance, so when you are looking at quotes make sure you read the small print and shop around to get the best deal for your needs.

While on the avenue to selecting the data transmission mode that best suits your needs, it is quite certain that there will be variety to consider. Without the slightest idea of what to purchase, you might end up settling for a package that exploits rather than impacts.

The first step therefore is to understand the various types of broadband internet services available in the U.K. The variety ranges from:-

Cable Broadband- This package though restricted to major metropolitan areas offers data transmission offered through dedicated cables, hence offering dedicated speed limits too. Cable broadband in the U.K is however relatively more expensive as compared to other alternatives with cable companies providing broadband, phone and TV packages to over 45% of homes and businesses.

Satellite- Common in remote and rural areas, satellite broadband is a form of wireless broadband that possesses a higher non-restricted coverage capability with typically slow speeds as compared to other broadband options. It is however easily accessible at affordable prices and this is where buying on a budget bears.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) – This option transmits high speed data over traditional copper-made telephone lines already existing in the prospective homes or businesses. The speed and availability of this service highly depends on the distance from your preferred location to the nearest telephone facility.

Wireless broadband- This can be a mobile or fixed connection established through a radio-link between the service provider’s locality and the client through an antennae installation. It is rampant in areas where DSL and cable broadbands are unavailable and at relatively affordable rates.

Fiber Optic Broadband– Fiber technology is where electrical signals ferrying data are converted to light and wired through thin transparent glass fibers. Transmitting data at crazy fast speeds of over tens and hundreds of mega bytes per second. (MBP/s)

However, while there are ample broadband packages to suit your every need, whether you are a heavy internet user or usually only do the regular emails, it cannot escape reason that there is the ultimate need to choose wisely. This will ensure that you settle for a service that best compliments your needs. While service providers may smear devouring aspects and promises on an advertized package, remember what you see is not always what you get.

Where do you find Info on Various Broadband Packages?

Price Comparison data and reviews are widely available for a wide-scope of broadband providers. The platform allows the existing and prospective clients to learn more about broadband and also independently compare a variety of broadband providers.

Various sites offer this platform for price comparisons. These factors determine how to best select the broadband that best suits your needs and helps you to easily compare prices online.

Intended purpose (Business or home use)

What is the installation cost?

Number of computers to be connected.

The speed of the package

Contract length duration

What are the redundancy options

Conclusion

So are you contemplating on a residential or rental broadband package in the U.K? You can be sure that while internet has marked a mileage in today’s livelihood and it’s imperative that internet usage will no longer deem a luxury to many. With affordable packages like satellite and Wi-fi to cater for the needs of the rural and remote areas residents, the digital migration has not only been launched worldwide but has been conveniently embraced too. Whether you are buying on a tight budget or at sheer luxury, knowing what to consider while pursuing the definition of quality broadband will not only save you from the glares of agonizing lagging speed rates but will also ensure that you give the broadband service provider quite a run for your money.

Bridging loans (and bridging finance) is a subject that has garnered an increasing amount of media attention over the last couple of years. The reason for this raising of awareness in the industry comes from a reluctance from mainstream lenders to approve large short-term loans for home owners and property investors.

Bridging finance offers quick access to funds, but does come with interest rates higher than the norm. This is because they are designed to be paid off quickly and swiftly. Borrowers apply for them due to needing quick access to funds, mainly concerning property purchases. The lenders know this and so are able to raise interest rates appropriately.

To give them their due, bridging finance lenders do offer very flexible terms and have a bespoke approach to underwriting in a niche area where high street banks and building societies cannot compete. This is a view that was recently highlighted on the Mortgage Strategy website.

Who Should Use Bridging Loans and Finance?

People who use bridging finance and loans will typically be professional commercial property investors… and ones that have a large portfolio with strong assets. However, with recent changes to how mortgage applications are now approved, there has been an increase in residential home owners turning to bridging loans in order to finance the purchase of a new home, before the sale on their existing one has completed.

A common scenario where bridging finance could be used is where a person owns a house that they are looking to renovate for sale and profit. Renovations can be costly, and so bridging loans can be secured to pay for the work before the sale… and then once the project is completed the property can be sold on, and the short-term bridging loan paid back in full.

Many banks and building societies are no longer as forth-coming to offer finance and re-mortgaging options in scenarios like this which is why the bridging loans industry has popped up over the last few years.

The Different Types of Bridging Loans

Whilst bridging loans all have the same premise, they can be broken down into different types to suit varying scenarios. Here are short overviews of each one (with some descriptions adapted from this finance broker).

The Classic Bridging Loan

As outlined in the article, the classic scenario where bridging loans are used is to bridge the financial gap between selling a property and financing the next one. The most common example where a classic bridging loan will be used is when a property buyer want to finance the purchase of a new house in advance of the sale on the existing home.

The Debt Bridging Loan

Typically used when a person needs to pay a large bill or debt very quickly. Debt bridging loans are only really suitable for people who have a large portfolio of assets, but not any cash flow at the time the payment needs to be made. As an example, these are often used for things like unexpected VAT invoices, meaning the borrower can pay the bill, and repay the bridging loan later using the sale of an asset.

The Refurbishment Bridging Loan

Those that invest in run-down properties in order to bring them up to standard and then sell them on will often find it hard to secure mortgage offers from high street or classic lending institutions such as banks and building societies. These type of bridging loans let the borrower get funds to buy and renovate the property before applying for a classic mortgage on standard terms and interest rates.

The Rescue Bridging Loan

The recession saw many property investors lose parts of their portfolio when finance was pulled from them by the banks. Rescue bridging loans let investors get quick finance as an interim measure whilst they look to secure more solid and affordable finance terms and agreements.

The Medium Bridging Loan

There are new bridging loans now on the market which are arranged as two to three year loan agreements. Whilst some brokers don’t classify these as bridging loans in the true definition, they are being sold by bridging loan companies and are occasionally a little bit more affordable than classic mortgages.

Conclusion: The economic downturn of recent years has led to an increase in demand for bridging finance, with a cottage industry popping up almost overnight in order to satisfy this need. Banks and building societies made it more difficult to approach large loans over the short-term for property purchase in order to help the housing market survive.